A Station with a train departing toward knowledge. A Station to embark on a journey toward discovery, research. To delve into the past and build the future. “The Station – Destination Culture” is the new cultural hub of Predazzo, a square of Knowledge open to welcome ideas and projects, in a spirit of sharing and personal growth.
On July 25, 2023, on the occasion of the Feast Day of the patron saint of St. James, THE STATION – DESTINATION CULTURE finally opened its doors; Predazzo’s new cultural hub saw “the first train start” with a presentation event and guided tours that led numerous guests and fellow citizens to discover the different areas of the building that will soon house the new library.
The idea of a project that would bring the spaces of the old railway station back to life originated several years ago, thanks to the insight of a group of students from the evening surveyor course at the Predazzo Technical Institute. Under the guidance of Prof. Ezio Gabrielli, the students worked on a project to restore and enhance the old building designed by architect Ettore Sottsass, built in the early 1920s and then decommissioned in the 1960s. The recovery project, in addition to the restoration of the existing building, included the creation of new parallel spaces connected to the old building and suitable to house a new library.
From that idea, which was immediately welcomed with enthusiasm by the municipal administration at the time and carried forward by subsequent ones, the project was developed by embracing an innovative concept of the very idea of a library: no longer a simple “container” of books, but a true “square of knowledge,” a cultural center with open spaces designed to accommodate meetings and educational paths, to encourage intergenerational encounters through many different activities, from music to chess, from cooking to art.
The interior of the new Library, which bears the signature of architect Paolo Chiocchetti, presents itself as a large open space characterized by semicircular shapes and lit by large windows that allow excellent illumination of all areas, including the basement areas.
The entire area is totally barricaded thanks to the use of ramps that allow free transit over the entire surface in total autonomy. On the upper floor we find a reading area, library, and an area dedicated to coworking complemented by all the necessary technological supports (wifi, cell phone charging station…) all illuminated by a pleasant panoramic view of the Lagorai.
Outside, the terrace is partially covered so that it can be used for reading even during the sunniest hours. Going down to the ground floor, we find the large open space that will house the main station of the librarians and counseling staff to support citizens, including the elderly, in finding commonly used information that is not always easy to track down independently.
Toward the south a large terrace will allow people to sit outside to read or simply contemplate the surrounding view. Going down a first ramp, one reaches the area dedicated to younger people with a small stage that can be used perhaps, to try out a presentation, and a recording room, enclosed and totally soundproofed, where it will be possible to play instruments, sing or record audio for various uses.
Continuing along the basement, which is always surprisingly brightly lit thanks to the use of glass windows, we find another room dedicated to the display of books, a workshop that will also house a fully equipped kitchen, where it will be possible to hold cooking classes or other creative activities such as sculpture, and an area reserved for staff to conduct more manual activities or internal meetings.
A historical archive along with some valuable scientific volumes from the Geological Museum will instead be housed inside a room with limited access. Also on this floor are bathrooms designed to be used independently by even the youngest children complemented by changing tables and everything needed for mothers and babies.
Great attention was also paid to energy conservation and sustainability: in fact, the library is connected to the biomass district heating plant, equipped with photovoltaic panels and a rainwater recovery system that will allow irrigation of the greenery outside the building. Finally, a separate area has been dedicated to the B51 Railway Fermodellismo Group, which has moved its headquarters here, displaying models and dioramas made by members of the group including a scale reproduction of the Ora – Predazzo railway section.
From here one finally accesses the underground passageway that connects the new building to the “old” Station building whose spaces, completely restored, have already been opened to the public on various occasions for meetings and training. The passageway between the two buildings thus becomes an expression of an indissoluble link between past and present: “When buildings of historical value such as the Station are restored, one runs the risk that they will be placed under a ‘glass bell,’ thus losing all contact with the reality that surrounds them. Instead, it is important that the community can return to live these places that have been protagonists in the history of the country, as well as having fostered its development. Returning to live the Station, with due respect and attention, means returning to enhance the work and aspirations of those who preceded us by ensuring its continuity through new purposes of use.”
These are the words of Giovanni Aderenti, current Predazzo culture councilor.